A junior racer who just celebrated her seventh birthday has died following a tragic crash that took place during Orlando Speed World Dragway in Florida this past weekend.
The crash that killed Elienisse Diaz Rodriguez is described as a “vehicle accident” on a GoFundMe page that has been set up to help her family during this time. The racing prodigy passed away as a result of her injuries on the night of February 4. Her death was also confirmed on the official Facebook page for Orlando Speed World.
Rodriguez, a first-grade at Eastland Christian School in Orlando, was “making her first runs in a junior dragster” when the crash happened, according to Dragzine.com. Junior dragsters, the vehicles used in junior drag racing, can reach speeds of up to 85 miles per hour.
At the time of writing, the crowdfunding page for Rodriguez’s family has raised over $20,000. The blurb on that page says that in driving the junior dragster, Rodriguez had “fulfilled her dream.”
In a message to parents by school administrators, Rodriguez was remembered as a “bright light in our school community.”
The message also read: “Her beautiful smile will be deeply missed by all of us.”
Social media posts from family members show that Rodriguez celebrated her birthday on January 30.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Elienisse’s family, and all those affected, including our racing community. Motorsports is built on passion, but moments like these remind us of the risks that come with what we love,” Orlando Speed World Dragway said in a statement.
“While injuries can heal, the pain of loss is immeasurable. We stand together in support, mourning, and prayer during this difficult time. We extend our deepest condolences to those grieving and will continue to uplift them in our thoughts.”
One online tribute said that Rodriguez was born into a “die-hard racing family” in Tampa in 2018. Her grandfather and father are both avid drag racers, with latter naming his car after his daughter.
The National Hot Rod Association established its junior racing league in 1992. The NHRA’s website says it gives “ages 5-17 the opportunity to experience the thrill of racing half-scale dragsters in a controlled racing environment.”
“The cars that Jr. Drag Racing League competitors race are called Jr. Dragsters and are half-scale versions of Top Fuel dragsters.“ The Jr. Dragsters can reach speeds of up to 85 miles per hour.
